A South Korean rookie idol has accused her agency’s CEO of sexual harassment, triggering widespread condemnation.
The allegations were revealed on the Nov. 22 broadcast of JTBC’s “Crime Chief,” which reported that a member of a multinational girl group, which debuted in September, was sexually harassed by the agency’s co-founder and co-CEO, identified only as “A.”
According to the report, A allegedly blackmailed and sexually harassed the member after witnessing her invite a male acquaintance to the group’s residence following a performance. Audio recordings provided by the victim aired during the program, exposing disturbing details of the alleged abuse.
The victim pleaded with A in the recordings, saying, “‘Please, just let me complete this promotional activity. That’s all I’m asking.’” A allegedly replied, “‘If I grant your wish, will you grant mine? My wish is for you to be my girlfriend for a day. Will you agree?’”
The victim described harrowing incidents, stating, “‘He asked, ‘Can I kiss you?’ and then forcibly did so. When I remained silent, he used his tongue and even licked my neck and ears. I tried to block him, but he said, ‘Move your hand,’ and kept touching me.’” She continued, “‘He asked, ‘Can I touch your chest? Can I squeeze your butt once?’ When I refused, he continued for two hours.’”
Feeling she had no other option to keep her career on track, the member said she reluctantly gave in to A’s demand to act as his “girlfriend for a day.” She recounted that during this coerced “date,” A locked his office door and groped her. At the movie theater, he allegedly kissed her repeatedly and touched her inappropriately, ignoring her protests.
The victim’s parents confronted A and claimed he admitted to his actions during a meeting with the group’s families, saying, “I made a mistake.” They accused A of abusing his power by enforcing “unfair punishments” on members and subjecting minors to treatment they described as “equivalent to torture.” While A initially dismissed the accusations as mere “misunderstandings,” he eventually apologized, saying, “I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I will step down as CEO and promise not to have any direct contact with the members again.”
However, A didn’t keep his promise. Just three days after the allegations surfaced, he was seen supervising the group during a performance. He even joined them on a flight to Japan, reportedly sitting next to the victim, which left the other members visibly distressed.
The incident has triggered public outrage, with online users speculating about the group and its management agency. Based on details such as the group’s September debut and its multinational lineup, many believe the group in question is MADEIN under 143 Entertainment. The lineup includes Japanese members Mashiro, Miu, Serina, and Nagomi, as well as Korean members Suhye, Yeseo, and Ga-eun.
Attention has particularly focused on Ga-eun, born in 2005, who suspended her activities on Nov. 11 due to health concerns. At the time, the agency explained, “Ga-eun recently sought medical attention for health issues, and doctors advised her to rest and recover.”
